Formation of Brookwood Labor College Brookwood Labor College

brookwood labor college best remembered association first director, pacifist christian minister a.j. muste.

by 1921, brookwood school facing major obstacles. cost of running school mounting, , finckes realized brookwood needed expand in order meet needs of working class. m. tuscan bennett , wife, josephine, joined school in february 1921, , close friends of finckes. after extensive discussion bennetts, finckes decided turn brookwood school on group of trade union activists. negotiations transfer of estate occurred during march 31-to-april 1, 1921, conference @ brookwood. among present @ conference fannia cohn, education director of international ladies garment workers union; william z. foster, leader of 1919 steel strike; abraham lefkowitz, president of american federation of teachers; james h. maurer, president of pennsylvania federation of labor; rose schneiderman, president of women s trade union league; , a. j. muste, pacifist minister , secretary of amalgamated textile workers of america. brookwood labor college founded once transfer complete. fundraising open new college proceeded. tuscan bennett oversaw effort, , donors included jane addams, stuart chase, john r. commons, herbert croly, john dewey, , freda kirchwey.

brookwood governed 10-member board of directors, majority of whom officials of american federation of labor (afl) unions. faculty, student, , alumni representatives comprised rest of board. unions providing scholarships students eligible seats on board. board members included john brophy, president of united mine workers of america district 2; john fitzpatrick, president of chicago federation of labor; clinton s. golden, former textile union organizer; rose schneiderman, president of amalgamated textile workers of america; , j.b.s. hardman, education director of amalgamated clothing workers. james maurer elected president of board.

the board changing entity. later board members included fannia cohn; cara cook, brookwood faculty member , librarian; robert fechner, vice president of international association of machinists; gustav geiges, president of american federation of full fashioned hosiery workers; fred hewitt, editor of machinists monthly journal; abraham lefkowitz; a.j. kennedy, president of amalgamated lithographers of america; tom tippett, brookwood extension director; , phil ziegler, editor of official journal of brotherhood of railway clerks.

tuscan bennett served school s executive secretary first 3 years of operation, , golden served many years business manager. advisory board established.